The Founders

Chapter 58

That evening, the Slytherins threw a huge party and snuck lots of butterbeer and chocolate cauldrons out from the kitchens. The room quickly became humid, hot and crowded, with people perching on the tables and an impromptu waltz lesson developing in the middle of the room.

Oscar had gotten pissed from two butterbeers and a firewhisky, which rarely happened, and was organising couples into rows. Kyra, who was perched on a table next to Grace, was clutching her hand and trying to smother her laughter in Grace's shoulder as they watched Oscar yank a couple who had been trying to sneak off into the shadows back onto his dance floor.

"LIAM, stop slacking," Grace heckled from their table.

"Right, now I need a partner," he proclaimed to the room, placing his hands on his hips.

Kyra tried hopping off the table at the same time that Grace swung around and vaulted over the back of the sofa, startling some third years. Kyra was less successful and was grabbed by the wrist and yanked onto the dance floor.

There were four couples standing around, looking torn between laughter and resignation. Kat, who was standing with a Ravenclaw boy, gave Kyra a rueful shrug, and Kyra excitedly waved at her.

"ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three," Oscar called, steering Kyra through the steps as she kept trying to double over in laughter. "It's a box step people, keep up," he shouted, swinging Kyra around.

Kyra caught a glimpse of Alexander standing beside the fire, leaned against the mantelpiece and he raised his eyebrows at her, two thumbs raised. She doubled over again and Oscar yelled at her, "Kyra, FOCUS, your rhythm is almost as bad as Mira's."

"HEY," yelled a voice in indignation from behind them. Mira stormed off and the rest of the dancing troupe tried to take the opportunity to make a break for it.

Laughing breathlessly, Kyra dragged Oscar behind her. "Kat, help me please!" she yelled at her. "He's escaping."

Oscar was trying to stop people from leaving his dance floor. Kat ran over and grabbed his other arm.

"Right, you little menace," Kat chastised. "Let's find you some snacks and a sofa."

Together, Kat and Kyra hustled him towards the sofa that Grace had chucked the third years off of and was lying stretched out on. Pushing Grace's legs off the end, Kyra settled Oscar onto it and sat on the floor below them. Kat joined her, handing her a red drink which she had grabbed from the drinks table as they passed it.

"Hey, where's mine?" Oscar asked indignantly, sitting up and making a grab for Kat's cup.

She leaned it out of his reach, saying "You, my little pheasant, cannot handle your drink." Kyra had told her about Oscar's least favourite joke.

Oscar was fuming and made to stand up. Grace pushed him back down. "You're far too happy for someone who can't play in the final tomorrow," Oscar grouched. "You should be CRYING, you hear me, CRYING."

Kat leaned back, smiling. "Noted, thank you."

"Where's Alexander?" Kyra sat up suddenly, looking around her.

"Oh yes, Alexander," Kat drew out the syllables of his name. "What's this star-crossed lover thing you guys have got going on. Do I need to lock you in a cupboard somewhere?"

Kyra blushed, leaning back against the sofa. "No cupboards necessary, thanks," she responded tartly, pushing away Kat's face. "I'm getting a drink," she announced, getting to her feet. "Oscar's stolen mine."

Oscar had, indeed, nicked it from where she had placed it on the floor beside her. Oscar gave her the peace sign and she stalked off, grinning.

Walking to the drinks table, Alex suddenly materialised out of the shadows and fell into step beside her. "Nice moves," he smirked, pushing his hair out of his face. The coloured lights played over his jaw and eyes, making it difficult to hold eye-contact. She shoved against his shoulder, not achieving much.

"Oscar's a force of nature when he's drunk, I had no choice."

Trusting to the darkness of the room, Alex reached for her hand and pulled her against him. She could smell the faint sweet smell of whiskey on him and she gripped the front of his t-shirt, looking up at shadows flickering over the hollows of his face and neck.

His temples and throat were in shadows, and his eyelashes cast long strokes down his cheeks, but his eyes were lit up by the gaudy lighting, flickering as it changed colours. His eyes flicked down to her lips and back again.

"I'm not making out with you in a crowded room," she whispered.

He leaned down to murmur in her ear, "I know." She shivered at the proximity. He took a step back, holding out his hand, and saying, "But will you dance with me?"

Kyra spun back, pulling him to the re-established dance floor, laughing.

He spun her in a circle, pretending to start a waltz and she punched him in the stomach. He pulled her back by the wrist and she put her arms around the back of his neck, just as ABBA's Gimme Gimme started playing.

Cheering, she was jumping up and down against him, feeling the warmth radiating from his hard chest. She slipped her fingers under the fabric at his waist, feeling his muscles jump under her touch. Giggling, she held his gaze as he tried to keep his face smooth.

He shook his head down at her, his mouth threatening to quirk into a smile. She began shouting the lyrics and spinning away, laughing when she saw that Alex knew most of the lyrics as well. He pulled her closer, his chest shaking with laughter and somewhere behind them she could hear Oscar yelling something rude.